弹头 (dàn tóu) — bullet (the projectile fired from a gun); warhe…

Definition

noun

bullet (the projectile fired from a gun)warhead (the explosive part of a missile or rocket)

Measure word · 枚

弹头。
Zhè zhǒng dǎo dàn de dàn tóu wēi lì jù dà.
This type of missile has a warhead with enormous power.
弹头。
Xīn xíng zǐ dàn de dàn tóu cǎi yòng le gèng yìng de hé jīn.
The bullet of this new type of ammunition uses a harder alloy.
弹头。
Zhè zhǒng pào dàn de dàn tóu kě yǐ chuān tòu hòu zhòng de zhuāng jiǎ.
The warhead of this artillery shell can penetrate thick armor.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

弹tánprojectile

头tóufront part

“弹” (projectile) and “头” (front part) name the front part of a bullet or missile.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

弓單彈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

單

單dān彈tán

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

豆頁頭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

豆

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

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